Research tells me there was an early ’60s movie about a smooth con man who assumed several identities – airline pilot, doctor, lawyer – before getting caught. It starred Tony Curtis and was called The Great Impostor. And though the main character’s name was changed, the story bears a resemblance to that of real-life con artist Frank W. Abagnale, Jr., who is portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in Steven Spielberg’s latest flick, Catch Me If You Can.
Of course, Spielberg’s movie is "based on a true story" (he even has the real Frank Abagnale onboard as a technical consultant and extra). And give or take a few Spielbergian moments, Catch Me If You Can tries to stay true to what is a remarkable real-life character, "the youngest, most successful con artist in history."
At 17, Abagnale is a kid unsure about his future. He watches his father, Frank Sr. (played with a remarkable poignancy by Christopher Walken), working the short con and staying one step ahead of the IRS, who are after his back taxes. When his parents announce they are divorcing and ask him to choose who he wants to live with, Frank Jr. flees. And never stops running.
Determined to prove himself to his dad, Abagnale Jr. starts adopting the lifestyles of those he envies and admires. Seeing an airline pilot surrounded by adoring stewardesses, he fakes his way into an interview with an airline executive, uses his wits to finagle a pilot’s unifform... and the rest is just too much fun to give away.
It wouldn’t be a cat-and-mouse story without a cat, and that’s where Tom Hanks comes in. Playing FBI agent Carl Hanratty (a memorable name), he’s on the trail of a con artist who has been passing bad checks coast to coast, totaling $4 million. Hanratty gets closer and closer to Abagnale – until the smooth grifter dances away, right under his nose.
Spielberg directs this one with a bright-eyed, nostalgic warmth, and it’s great fun, from the Saul Bass-inspired title sequences to the clips of early ’60s TV shows (from which Abagnale seems to lift all his expertise). With Sinatra on the soundtrack singing Fly Me To The Moon, 1960s fashion and hairdos parading around everywhere, and a (pre-JFK assassination) optimism prevailing, this is Spielberg’s lightest work in years.
DiCaprio returns to form with a likeable, shifty little performance. He’s the kind of con man who has to grow into the job, fumbling at passing bad checks until he arrives at just the right mix of vulnerability and charm. Leo is good in this role, though it’s hard to believe anyone would mistake him for a Delta airlines pilot, a lawyer or a doctor – he still looks too boyish. DiCaprio manages to slip right into Abagnale’s character, though, showing some of the demons that push him to lie, cheat and pretend his way from con to con. Watch him leap from role to role, improvising each new identity in a desperate bid to hang on to some sense of self. "I want to stop running," he finally begs his dad. "You can’t stop," Frank Sr. says with a shrug.
It turns out that once you start running, what you’re really running from is – you guessed it – yourself. And there’s some symmetry implied between Abagnale and Hanratty – they’re both lonely characters dedicated solely to their work. (The movie was released on Christmas day in the US and most of the conversations between Abagnale and Hanratty take place on Christmas.) But this is, after all, a Spielberg movie, so don’t expect too much in the way of deep analysis or dark character insights.
As Agent Hanratty, Hanks is his usual quietly dignified self, exhibiting nothing new or groundbreaking in his role except a fatherly concern toward the young Abagnale. It’s Christopher Walken as the haunted Frank Sr. who brings real anguish to the screen; his is a performance that’s already generating Oscar (Best Supporting) buzz. With his gaunt features and wounded eggshell eyes, he walks the fine line between embattled pride and desperation that’s almost painful to watch.
Watch also Spielberg having fun with artistic design, working with a palette of muted pastels that hasn’t been seen in America since Doris Day movies of the ’60s. And note how he depicts the G-Men bearing down on Abagnale in a shot of several black pistols, each pointing in a different direction. He makes the chase as much fun as the opening credit sequences, and except for an overlong final act, Catch Me If You Can doesn’t make you want to stretch your legs at all. Catch this one while you can.